I work for my father in law. He heard information recently and wants to use it agaisn

[joelambjr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York ) i just found out through my wife that my boss ( father in law ) told her because i was looking for another job and that when i come back he is going to demote me and dock my pay bc if i will be leaving hes not going to put me back as foreman and dock my pay because i might give him my two weeks if this other job calls back and i get hired. Is this right? What should i do?

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York ) i just found out through my wife that my boss ( father in law ) told her because i was looking for another job and that when i come back he is going to demote me and dock my pay bc if i will be leaving hes not going to put me back as foreman and dock my pay because i might give him my two weeks if this other job calls back and i get hired. Is this right? What should i do?

He is free to demote you. As for "docking your pay", you'd have to wait for that to happen. I can't understand from your post what he'd be docking pay for.

 

[joelambjr]

He is free to demote you. As for "docking your pay", you'd have to wait for that to happen. I can't understand from your post what he'd be docking pay for.

thanks for the reply. ive been a foreman for 3 years. hes in my personal life and his daughters so obv. he is going to know when im looking for another job. I didnt do anything wrong at work but just bc of the information he has that he is upset because i might be leaving. He is threatning me to demote me and if im not foreman than i obv dont get foreman pay ...I just didnt know if that was legal for him to do that because if he was just my boss and not my father in law he wouldnt even know taht i was looking for another job. Can he still demote when i didnt do anything wrong at work?

 

[Zigner]

thanks for the reply. ive been a foreman for 3 years. hes in my personal life and his daughters so obv. he is going to know when im looking for another job. I didnt do anything wrong at work but just bc of the information he has that he is upset because i might be leaving. He is threatning me to demote me and if im not foreman than i obv dont get foreman pay ...I just didnt know if that was legal for him to do that because if he was just my boss and not my father in law he wouldnt even know taht i was looking for another job. Can he still demote when i didnt do anything wrong at work?

Yes, absolutely.

 

[joelambjr]

ok thank you. he can lower my hourly rate too aswell?

 

[Zigner]

ok thank you. he can lower my hourly rate too aswell?

Yes. I am not sure if he can do it retroactively in your state. Others more knowledgable than I will need to comment on that.

 

[Proserpina]

ok thank you. he can lower my hourly rate too aswell?

Outside of a specific contract, yeap - as long as he pays you at least min.wage.

 

[commentator]

There are no "he can't do this to me can he?" issues here. Almost everything is not illegal for a boss to do to a worker, particularly in a non-union atmosphere. So yes, he could do it. But gosh, it'd be profoundly stupid of him. You're not a bought and paid for galley slave or anything. If you have the ability to get a better job, does he really think you shouldn't?

If this comes to pass, instead of just threats you heard about, I suggest you talk to your father in law. If the new job is a better paying one, with better potential for advancement, why would he NOT want you to take it, make things better for his daughter?

And if he doesn't want you to leave, why, instead of threatening to punish you and make you much more motivated to leave by docking your pay and demoting you, would he not offer to match what you'd be getting on the new job, keep you and keep you and him happy?